By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Let the
Hambletonian hype begin.
Greenshoe began his 2019 season by
sending a message to the rest of the 3-year-old trotters seeking to win harness
racing’s greatest prize on the first Saturday in August: He is a force to be
reckoned with after putting on a dazzling display in taking his division of
the New Jersey Sire Stakes at the Meadowlands Friday night in 1:51.2. The only
horse to go faster on the trot this year was 2018 Hambo champ Atlanta, who went
1:50.4 a week ago Monday at Miami Valley.
“His manners were good,” said Brian
Sears, who drove the Marcus Melander trainee. “We were happy with him. He was a
little high strung while scoring before the race, but then he came back to me.
He relaxed after that. I think he’s starting to get it.”
During his 2-year-old season, the son
of Father Patrick-Designed To Be, won half of his four starts despite going off
stride in each and every one of them. Sears handled Greenshoe carefully at the
start Friday, as in 2018, he went off stride three times before the start of
his races.
There was none of that on this night.
Greenshoe sat a four-hole for the
first five-eighths before vacating the rail and going after leader Sheena’s
Boy, who hit the half in :56.2 and three-quarters in 1:24.1 on an open lead. “I
took a peek and saw they were going a little bit,” said Sears. “When I tipped
him, he went up there.”
The 2018 NJSS champion quickly got
himself into contention and was charging after the leader coming toward the top
of the stretch. Sears barely moved a muscle as Greenshoe, who paid $3.00 as the
post-time choice, rolled by his over-matched foes during a final quarter of
:26.2 to score by 3½ widening lengths while lowering his previous lifetime best
by two-and-one-fifth seconds. Sheena’s Boy held second with Battenberg third.
“He’s a natural,” said Sears. “He’s got
some gears that most horses don’t have.”
In the other NJSS division for
sophomore male trotters, Soul Strong scored in 1:53 at odds of 15-1 for trainer
Ake Svanstedt and driver Yannick Gingras.
Evident Beauty scored in the first of
two 3-year-old filly trots for trainer Nifty Norman and driver Dave Miller in
1:53.3 as the 8-5 favorite. The Lucas Wallin-trained Queen Of Trixs took the
other division in 1:55.4 for driver Andy McCarthy at odds of 6-1.
A LITTLE MORE: Gingras and McCarthy both recorded
driving triples on the program. … The 20-Cent Can-Am Pick-4 took in $47,911 in
wagers, and those who had the winning combination of 2-2-4-3 collected $67.15
for a ticket that included three favorites. … One bettor in Ontario was the
only player to hold a winning ticket in the 20-Cent Survivor Pick-10 and walked
away with $14,085.04 for lasting eight legs. … All-source handle on the 13-race
card was $2,500,166. … Big M gates open at 9:30 a.m. for Preakness Day. Post
time for the first at Pimlico is 10:30 a.m. while the Preakness is slated to go
at 6:48 p.m. … Live racing at the Meadowlands resumes Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
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